The present invention generally relates to money clips for carrying money close to the body in a pants pocket, a shirt pocket or the like. More particularly, it relates to a new and improved credit card/money clip device for holding folding currency and one or more credit-type cards, automated teller machine cards, or identification cards together in a convenient, easy to use, pocket-sized carrier arrangement.
Money clips adapted to clampingly receive folded currency and designed to be carried in a pants pocket are well known. In the area of men's gifts and accessories, money clips fashioned from a single piece of bent or formed metal stock have been available for some time. Relatively expensive versions in plated or solid precious metals, such as silver and gold are well known.
In today's society, comfortable, casual attire has become the normal dress for shopping or entertainment inside as well as outside of the home. Earlier dress code requirements for men to wear a jacket and tie and for women to wear a skirt or dress have been relaxed or altogether abandoned. It is not unusual for men and women to do their errands, shopping and other weekend activities in casual jeans, sportswear and even sweatsuits.
Concurrent changes in the money and banking industry including the widespread introduction and use of automated teller machines and various consumer credit cards have created corresponding changes in the way people organize, handle and carry their money. For example, the need to carry a checkbook around with you is no longer as great as it once was, because you can pay for goods with cash obtained from a cash machine or with a credit card. People frequently may not want to carry a jacket for holding a wallet or checkbook anymore. Women frequently do not need or want to carry a purse around with them. A purse or a bulging wallet are usually clearly visible and therefore can be an easy target for a pick-pocket or other thief. Moreover, it is now common to carry only a small amount of money and to carry secure means for acquiring more money on the go. In this manner, if a person is held up or robbed, the credit cards and money cards are provided with a secure password or they can be canceled quickly by phone. As a result, the thief only gets the small amount of cash being carried.
Money clips are a convenient way to carry folded dollar bills in an organized, space-saving manner. However, it would be desirable if one or more credit-type cards and/or driver's license or other I.D.'s could also be carried in a pants pocket together with dollar bills in an organized, low profile or non-bulging manner capable of protecting the cards from becoming bent, scratched or broken while being carried
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved credit card/money clip device for conveniently carrying a number of credit card sized cards and folding currency in a convenient, easy to carry manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a credit card/money clip device having card holding features defined thereon for managing a stack of one or more cards in a protected, supported manner when carried in a pants pocket, shirt pocket or the like.